Portable electric lamp



Oct. 23,1934.

R. E. HOCHON `YIRTABLE yELECTRIC LAMP File Figl

Inventor Fcbef' x) glane Huchon (5g ML Ww KTTH.

`1:5 remain `steady in various positions.

Patented ct. 2.3, 1934t PATENT OFFICE `1,9.'za2o2 j" roR'rAELE ELECTRIC LAMP Robert Eugne Hochon, `Neuilly-sur- Seine,

. i, France L Applicatidn April 22.19133, seriai 1410.661386 7 clanes.` `(C1.` 24o-41.4)`

, `The present invention relatestto a portable electric lamp by means of which one may obtain the extinguishing,` normal illumination or dime ming (night-lamp effect) of `the light by simply turning the; casingwenclosing the glowlamp bulb. `This invention consists in the combination of casing, an electric glow lamp bulb and a multiple switch operating` by gravity. The switch permits thecomplete extinguishingfof the bulb, or the @10 possibility of lighting it to various degrees'of intensity by Athe insertion'in the feeding circuit of,` thebulb of. a full or partial electrical resistance.

Thel casing isso constructed as to permit itto The switch forms part Vofthe casing and is so constructed as to permit "the lighting of the lamp in the varied positions. taken by the casing, one "of 'these positions marking the complete extinguishing of the lamp." f The electrical current supply of the lamp may be ffurnishejd by alocal electricalsource orby a lighting network. 'The current may either be continuo'usjor'alternating because of the use 'of a resistance regulating the light of the lamp.

At least one side or" face of the casing permits the light to shine outside eitherby transparence or by diffusion. The mostpreferred form is that ota parallelepiped, for xample,"a`cube `which may be placed on` any ofiive faces, while the sixth "permits the light to shine through.

The preferredswitch operating by gravity is of the mercuryV type.

f The attached drawing, and the 4following description describe, by way of` example, "one embodiment of a portable electric lamp Vaccording to thislinvention. t

Fig. 1 shows a type of lampirealizedby means ofa cubic casing.A

Fig. 2 is a diagram of the connections of the lamp with the representation in section of a typical gravity switch.

Fig. 3 shows a section perpendicular to the preceding section of this switch.

Fig. 4 relates to a cover permitting the use of the lamp for photographic work.

In the lamp illustrated in Fig. 1, the cubic casing 1 has a frontal face 2 that permits the light to shine through. This face has a glass Wall that may either be transparent or translucid. The casing may be placed indifferently on one of its four lateral sides or on the bottom side 3.

The bottom 3 serves as a support for the bulb 4, for the switch 5 and for the resistance 6. Con- .55l ductors 7 and 8 conduct the current from the source of electrical energy to the bulb 4, and to the switch 5. f

One of the terminal contact pieces of the switch is directly connected with the bulb 4 for normal illumination. Anotherf terminal is connected 60 with` the extremity of the resistance for dimming (night-lamp effect). A third terminal is connected Vwith an intermediate point of the resistancefor an intermediate light eiect (Fig. 2).

The switch 5 (Figs. 2 and 3) comprises a coni- 65 cal cap of insulating material 9, such as ebonite, closed by a plate of conductive material 10.` At the periphery of this cap 9 are placed contact pieces l1, for example, three contact pieces in a cubical casing. A fourth contact 12 may be 70 placed at the `top of theconical cap `to permit the realization of diffused lighting. In the interior of the `enclosure formed by the cap 9 and the plate lomay be rolled a blob of mercury 13 making Yan electrical connection between the 71'; plate and, successively, with each of the contacts Vlltand 12. The switch is so constructed as to permit the contact pieces to be covered by the blob of mercurywhen the casing lies on one ofitslsides. The plate 10 has a projection at 30 the centreso as to `permit `the blobof mercury toclose the circuit ofthe contact piece l2. The resistance 6 isfnoninductive so as to permit the use ,off either continuous 'or alternating current. One practical embodiment consists in making it in the formof a stick of graphite or carbon, contact being made .at any. point by means of metal rings '14. t t

This" invention may be used in photographic Work. For this purpose an opaque cover 15 (Fig.` 4)v isplaced on the illuminating surface 2 of the cubical casing l. This cover hasvan opening 16 thatis generally circular. This opening'is `shut oi by means of a device that permits the passage of one colour only, red for example, or 95 green or yellow according to the nature of the work. A single plate of a given colour may be used, or two transparent plates 17 and 18 between which an appropriate coloring matter, such as an inactinic paper, like Virida is placed.

What I claim is:

l. A portable electric lamp comprising a casing that may be placed on ve of its faces with a sixth face that permits the passage of light, an electric bulb that may be illuminated and a resistance 105 placed inside the casing, the said resistance having the form of a stick and including several contacts made by metallic collars surrounding the stick, means of connecting the bulb with a source of electrical energy, and a switch operating by 11p sie gravity forming part of the casing in order to control the bulbs circuit and to produce, by means of the resistance, various degrees of illumination in the bulb according to the position of the casing.

2. A portable electric lamp comprising a casing that can be placed in various steady positions by turning from one side to another and having at least one side through which a light may shine, an electric bulb that may be illuminated and a resistance placed inside of the casing, means of connecting the bulb with a source of electrical energy and a switch comprising an insulated `conical cap closed by a plate of conductive material to Which is attached one of the .conductors carrying the current, contact pieces placed inside the conical cap, one of the contact pieces being electrically connected with the bulb, and the others by the intermediary of the resistance, a blob -of mercury that establishes the electrical liaison between the plate and each of the contact pieces successively, according to the position in which the casing is placed, thus permitting the extinction of the lamp as well as obtaining the various 'degrees of light intensity in the bulb.

3. A portable electric lamp comprising a cubic casing that may be placed on five of its faces with a sixth face that permits the passage of light, an electric bulb that may be illuminated and a resistance placed inside of the casing, means or connecting the bulb with a source of electrical energy, and a switch comprising an insulated conical cap, closed by a plate of conductive material and having at its centre a projection in the interior, the said plate `being connected with a conductor carrying the current, contact pieces, one of which is placed at the centre, and others in the periphery of the cap, and connected with the bulb, some directly and others by means of l the resistance, and a blob of mercury establishing an electrical liaison between the plate and each of the contact pieces, according to the side on which the casing has been placed, and permitting the extinction of the lamp as well as obtaining the various degrees of light intensity in the bulb.

4. A portable electric lamp for photographic work comprising a casing movable in Various `positions by turning from one side to another and having a single lighting surface, an opaque cover placed over the said surface, and having an aperture so arranged as to permit the passage of but a single color, an electric bulb that may be illuminated and a resistance placed inside of the casing, means of connecting the bulb with a source of electrical energy, and a switch operating by gravity forming part of the casing in order to control the bulbs circuit and to produce, by means of the resistance, various degrees of illumination in the bulb according to the position of the casing.

5. A portable electric lamp for photographic work comprising a casing movable in various positions by turning from one side to another and having a single lighting surface, an opaque cover placed over the said surface, and having an aperture provided with a colored glass that permits the passage of but a single color, an electric bulb that may be illuminated and a resistance placed inside of the casing, means of connecting the bulb with a source of electrical energy and a switch `operating by gravity forming part of the casing in order to control the bulbs circuit and to produce, by means of the resistance, various 4degrees of illumination in the bulb according to the position of the casing.

6. A portable electric lamp for photographic work comprising a casing movable in Various positions by turning from one side to another and having a single lighting surface, an opaque cover placed over the side surface, and having an aperture provided with two sheets of colorless glass, a sheet of colored material placed between the said sheets of colorless glass for permitting the passage only of a given color, an electric bulb that may be illuminated and a resistance placed inside of the casing, means of connecting the bulb with a source of electrical energy, and a switch operating by gravity forming part of the casing in order to control the bulbs circuit and to produce, by means of the resistance, various degrees of illumination in the bulb according to the position of the casing.

7. A portable electric lamp comprising a casing that can be placed in various steady positions by turning it from one side to another and having at least one side through which light may shine, an electric bulb that may be illuminated and a resistance placed inside of the casing, the said resistance vhaving a number of branching points, means for connecting the bulb with a source of electrical energy and a switch operating by gravity xed inside the casing, the said switch comprising an insulated conical cap closed by a plate of conductive material to which is attached one of the conductors carrying the current, contact pieces placed inside the conical cap and connected With the branching points of the resistance, some of the contact pieces being also connected with the bulb, and a blob of a weighty liquid that establishes the electrical connection between the plate and any contact piece according to the position in which the casing isplacecl, thus permitting the extinguishing of the lamp as well as obtaining the various degrees of light intensity in the bulb.

ROBERT EUGENE HOCHON. 

